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Decision CRTC 90-246

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Decision

Ottawa, 16 March 1990

Decision CRTC 90-246

Telemedia Communications Ontario Inc.

Sudbury, Ontario - 880796800

Pursuant to Public Notice CRTC 1989-49 dated 19 May 1989, the Commission approves the application to amend the Promise of Performance for CIGM-FM Sudbury by changing the music format from Group III (Country and Country-Oriented) to Group IV (40% Pop and Rock-Softer; 60% Pop and Rock-Harder). The Commission notes that the licensee has indicated that it will operate CKSO Sudbury in the country music format at least until the expiry of its licence term.

In approving this proposal, the Commission has taken into account the licensee's argument that these changes in format will ensure the financial viability of CIGM-FM and its sister station CKSO. The Commission has also considered the licensee's commitments to increase its efforts in the development of Canadian talent, to promote and enhance Canadian country music and to broadcast a minimum Canadian content level of 30% on CIGM-FM. Specifically, the licensee has indicated that it will provide new locally-produced and syndicated programs and will hire an additional staff person to produce and host a daily news magazine. The licensee also requested a reduction in the amount of category 6 programming (Music-Traditional and Special Interest) from 8 to 5 hours per week without providing any justification for the change. The Commission considers that a reduction is not warranted in this case and denies this proposal. Accordingly, the licensee is required to continue to broadcast a minimum of 8 hours per week of category 6 music. The Commission considers that the licensee has a responsibility to ensure the diversity of the station's music programming and notes that the licensee may draw from several music subcategories of category 6 music which are compatible with its Group IV format.

The Commission also denies the licensee's proposal to increase the hit/non-hit ratio from 45:55 to 49:51. In this regard, the Commission considers that a hit/non-hit ratio of 45:55 will enable the licensee to ensure diversity in CIGM-FM's music programming within its album-oriented rock format.

The Commission requires the licensee, within 30 days of the date of this decision, to submit revised Promise of Performance pages for CIGM-FM reflecting the requirements noted above.

The Commission reaffirms the importance it attaches to Canadian talent development and notes that the licensee will increase the annual expenditures allocated for this purpose from $7,000 to $30,000. It expects CIGM-FM to fulfill the current and proposed initiatives for the support, development and on-air exposure of local and regional talent during the remainder of the current licence term. Mr. Brian Dixon, representing a company to be incorporated, intervened to request that the Commission defer its decision on this application until it has considered his current submission for a new FM radio broadcasting undertaking at Sudbury.

In response, Telemedia stated that its application should not be treated as a competing application since it was filed in April 1988 prior to Mr. Dixon's application which was submitted in 1989. Telemedia pointed out that the Commission has not issued a call for applications for a new FM radio undertaking at Sudbury and further argued that consideration of its application will not prevent the Commission from considering Mr. Dixon's proposal at a later date.

Mid-Canada Communications (Canada) Corporation, licensee of CJMX-FM and CHNO Sudbury, also intervened opposing Telemedia's application on the grounds that the proposed change would duplicate CJMX-FM's format and would decrease the diversity of musical programming on FM radio in the Sudbury area. In response, Telemedia stated that at least 60% of its musical selections would be "rock-harder", making its programming significantly different from CJMX-FM's adult/contemporary format. Telemedia maintained that musical diversity would in fact increase if CKSO provided a country music format. In addition, Telemedia noted that approval of this proposal would result in four distinct formats on the radio stations operating in Sudbury, whereas currently two AM stations broadcast the same gold based, adult/contemporary formats. The Commission is satisfied that the intervenors' concerns have been addressed and that approval of this application is in the public interest and will have no significant effect on the concentration of media ownership in the Sudbury area.